Irenora
Category:Characters Category:Draenei Category:Mages Category:Aldor Category:Deceased 'Description' 'Appearance' WIP. 'Personality' WIP. 'Biography' 'Argus' Mystification Approximately twenty-seven thousand years ago, Irenora, the firstborn child of Danarshi and Aelleena, was born within the capital city of Amanalar, known as Amanare, upon the surface of Argus. She had many relatives within Amanalar, from grandparents to uncles/aunts, cousins and more. Although the eredar had not invented surnames, they were no less conscious of the blood with whom they shared, and many still upheld an unrivalled respect for their relatives; this was of no deviation within the bloodline of Irenora. Many within her family were accomplished individuals. Her father, Danarshi, was a seasoned harbinger and a decorated member of the Amanalar Peacekeepers, an elite task force who were responsible for completing important missions concerning the safety of Amanalar. The Amanalar Peacekeepers were led and created by her grandfather, Duum'viaer, who was a harbinger of legendary status, and one of the founders and members of the Amanalar Board of Rulership. Her mother, Aelleena, was an artist who was skilled at certain crafts, such as painting and sculpting. Her grandmother, Shi'var, was a wise and renowned philosopher. For a thousand years, Irenora spent the majority of her time maturing within the safety and comfort of Amanare, until Danarshi offered to share his knowledge in the arts of a harbinger. Though Irenora openly confessed an inspiration for her father and his heroics, the initial one thousand years of her life had dictated that her calling did not rest within the practice of melee weaponry and close quarters combat. Though Danarshi found himself disappointed over the decision of his daughter, he made no further attempt at persuading her and accepted her decision; he would not force it upon her as his own father, Duum'viaer, had upon him. Secretly, it was magic that had inspired the young woman the most. From her childhood to her adulthood, her uncle, Mordaros, had told her much of his life as a fire mage, as well as his studies at the magical city of Xzaarven, a famed dwelling for mages within Amanalar. Although these stories had intrigued the young Irenora, she had never possessed the confidence to pursue her interests within the first millennium of her life. Shortly following the declination of her father's offer, a day had struck when Irenora was confronted by Mordaros, who informed the curious woman of a magical ritual that was to occur within the woodland nearby Xzaarven, performed by the most illustrious of the city's mages; if a fascination in magic was to truly flourish within her, then this was how it would happen. With utmost reassurance from her uncle, a nervous Irenora heeded his word and set out for the aforementioned woods, where she sought to witness the ritual from the concealment of the undergrowth. Xzaarven was not the only location within Amanalar to be seated nearby forestland. The region was bordered by sprawling mountain ranges, with forests at many of their bases. Deep down, the woman questioned her motives, after Danarshi and Aelleena had often made clear the dangers that dwelled within the thickets of Amanalar; they were, indeed, home to a plethora of predators. Despite the tales of peril, her faith in her uncle had convinced her that she would stumble upon no danger, so she continued on with her journey. Fortunately, Irenora did indeed stumble upon a gathering of mages within a clearing in the woods near Xzaarven, as she had anticipated. The mages sat side by side in a circular formation, surrounding a series of runic patterns that were physically etched into the soil itself, luminous from the arcane powers that coursed within them. Unbeknown to Irenora, the mages had detected her presence since the very moment that she stepped into the forest; their magics had vastly heightened their senses over the average eredar. Irenora stalked them from within the nearby undergrowth, as she had planned, though it would do her no favours. The gathered mages remained purposely ignorant towards the presence of Irenora and proceeded with their magical ritual. The sight that followed was awe-inspiring, as the forest clearing was touched with an intricate display of varying shades of light and colours, those of which seemed to work against the very laws of physics themselves. At the climax, the very mages themselves were consumed in arcane radiance, gradually levitating off the ground in harmony and then locking in place. Irenora was astonished; this display was superior to anything that Mordaros had shown her before. Her heart urged for her to approach the mages, though her mind told her otherwise, fearful that she would disturb them. The woman decisively slipped away into the surrounding thicket and retreated to safety, no less unsuspecting that the mages had been watching her movements. Throughout the following days, the perplexing display of magic within the forest had utterly consumed the mind of Irenora. Night after night, the woman dreamed not only what she had witnessed, though what she herself could be capable of, if she were to invest herself in the art of arcane magic. Following much thought and decision, she ventured to Xzaarven, keen on meeting the mages who performed the ritual. Much to her surprise, she received a warm welcome upon her arrival; they had been expecting her. Indeed, all that had occurred was a cunning plot by Mordaros and his fellow mages within the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane, who wished only for Irenora to realise her interest in magic. Whilst such a scheme may have frustrated some, Irenora was mystified and impressed. She was offered a place within the ranks of the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane, which she wholeheartedly accepted. With a particular interest in wielding raw arcane magic, she was deemed an arcanist and initiated her studies in the art. Only following her induction into the Order of the Arcane did Danarshi and Aelleena recognize the scope of their daughter's intrigue in magic, and though it was of initial surprise to them, they ultimately pledged their full support. Though Irenora was strictly an arcanist, Mordaros willingly taught his niece much of what he knew of fire magic, until she had learned all that she deemed necessary from him. She was an undeniably swift learner, comparable with her uncle himself, who was renowned for similar feats. It was clear that Irenora possessed an unseen potential. 'The Burning Legion' Over a thousand years later, the darkest event in the history of Argus transpired, when the Dark Titan Sargeras approached theTriumvirate with promises of untold power in exchange for the service and loyalty of the eredar within his army, the Burning Legion. Propaganda filled the streets of Amanalar’s settlements, and as witnessed by Irenora, the mages of Xzaarven were the most susceptible to it. The three leading magi of the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane plotted to side with Sargeras. However, in fear that their ideals would clash with those of the Amanalar Board of Rulership, they instructed their disciples to remain secretive of their treacherous plans. Some within the Order of the Arcane, including Irenora, were uncomfortable with their scheme, though none of them dared reveal it to the populace of Amanalar, in fear for their own safeties. Throughout the days that followed, thousands of Amanalar's citizens, primarily from Xzaarven, were incidentally vanishing. Irenora learned that the majority of them were subtly venturing to the grand city of Mac'Aree, with the help of the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane, where they swore their allegiances to the Burning Legion. Mordaros was among the first who disappeared, though Irenora was unable to perceive if he had left for Mac'Aree, or if the Order of the Arcane had silenced him for opposing them. Though few outside the Order of the Arcane were fully aware of the situation, Danarshi and Aelleena had perceived that something sinister was approaching. Irenora met with her parents, her grandparents and the Amanalar Peacekeepers in the very centre of Amanare. During these moments, freakish sounds from an abnormal storm loomed over the horizon, intensifying as it crept closer towards Amanalar. Fortunately for the family, the defiant Prophet Velen had recently formulated a strategy, suggesting that those who were to venture to the Seat of the Triumvirate within Mac’Aree would find a means of escape from Argus. Although Irenora had long since deemed Argus as her rightful home, she could sense war on the horizon; soon, chaos would wash over them, and the abnormal storm within the skies above was a sure sign of this. Despite the influence of the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane, she refused to forsake her family over mere offerings of power. Afraid that an apocalypse was hastily approaching, Duum'viaer took charge and formulated a stratagem: Danarshi would escort Shi'var, Aelleena and Irenora out of Amanare whilst congregating all civilians that he would stumble across. Meanwhile, Duum'viaer and the remainder of the Amanalar Peacekeepers would make their final stand within the centre of Amanare, in hopes of causing a distraction in favour of the fleeing group, and as a final act of defiance against those who would harm Amanalar. Irenora watched in shaken silence as a reluctant Danarshi revolted against Duum'viaer, but the old harbinger was resolute. With sorrow, Danarshi, Shi'var, Aelleena and Irenora wished their heartfelt farewells upon Duum'viaer and initiated their journey. Irenora followed as Danarshi rallied all civilians who stood in their path. As they reached the city’s outer walls, they had amassed approximately three hundred eredar. They had no option but to abandon thousands of innocents to their fates, including the remainder of their extended family, to which they all shared a crippling guilt. They did not tarry after leaving Amanare, and neither did the accompanying civilians, who were stricken with anxiety. As they trod into the plains of Amanalar, Irenora warned the accompanying survivors of the treachery of the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane, advising that they avoid Xzaarven as a whole. Without a reliable means of teleportation, they had no choice but to pass through the forests and mountains of Amanalar, from which they would walk the vast distance to Mac'Aree. Any semblance of peace had come to a sudden halt, however, as the skies were suddenly darkened with winged monstrosities that were unlike anything any of them had ever witnessed, ranging from felbats to fiends and doomguards, demons in their purest of forms. Despite Danarshi's steadfast attempts at leading his family and the civilians away from the approaching demons, they were too swift to outrun. A doomguard slammed in front of them, mere metres away from the Harbinger. The demon snapped its sharpened teeth at him, questioning his loyalties to the Burning Legion. With a ferocious slash, Danarshi cut the creature down, infuriating its surrounding kin, who descended upon the innocent eredar with felbats in tow. Danarshi yelled in warning for the amassed group to flee, which they did. As they drew closer to the cover of Amanalar's forests, many civilians were scooped away and slain by the winged demons. Irenora was quick to join the fray, assaulting the attackers with arcane magic. The most courageous of the civilians had also lent their aid against them, though with most of them unarmed, there was little that they could do. Once they had passed into the concealment of the forests, thirty eredar had already perished. Fortunately, the winged predators could harm them no longer within the thicket. Their respite was short-lived, however, as colossal formations of rock and cinder rained down upon the woodland from the skies above, alight with an insidious green flame: fel. These were revealed as more than mere meteorites, reanimating as infernals. They climbed out of their craters and on to the surface, spreading emerald wildfires throughout the vast vegetation. Danarshi led the remaining two hundred and fifty to an overpass and fled across the border of Amanalar, successfully evading the demons who were preying on them, though only after twenty of the survivors had fallen to asphyxiation from the foul smoke that flooded the forests from the spreading fel fires. As the skies were made visible to them once more, they were revealed as choked with clouds of darkened ash and crackling fel lightning, from which infernals rained down upon the distant cities and settlements. Amanalar had met its downfall. Unfortunately for the survivors, their journey was far from over. Atop the overpass where they stood, they seized the opportunity to recover their strength and set eye upon their homeland for what they assumed was the final time, before continuing towards Mac’Aree. For three hazardous days, they travelled across Argus, avoiding the demonic patrols however they could, though forced to fight for their safety on a multitude of occasions, losing dozens of additional lives in result. Fatigue had started to afflict them several miles into their trek. A harsh reality soon struck Danarshi, as well as a difficult choice: if they were to stop, then they would risk failing to reach Velen within Mac’Aree, which would have sealed their fates upon a dying Argus. In knowing this, he proceeded with the harrowing decision of abandoning those who were too weary to follow. This was a necessary sacrifice that Irenora could not disagree with, despite how much it pained her. Once Mac’Aree was finally visible upon the horizon, approximately one hundred survivors remained standing. Much to their dismay, not even the grand capital of Argus itself was spared from the wrath of the demons, felfires having spread across much of its streets and structures. A glimmer of hope yet remained for them, however, as the chaos within the city appeared fresh - many of its spires still stood proud, and screams reverberated throughout the air. It was unlikely that Velen had yet fled the planet, though their time was ever-fleeting – this was the final stretch. Sustained by adrenaline, the survivors approached Mac’Aree, adamant on finding Velen. The demonic presence within Mac’Aree was stronger than anything that they had yet seen. From the moment that they stepped hoof through its gates, they were assaulted from all foreseeable directions by an amassed assortment of demons that included imps, felhounds, felguards, shivarra and far more. There was, however, one species of demon that sent shivers down the spines of the survivors: the man’ari, eredar who had succumbed to Sargeras. With eyes of flaming fel, skin of red and grey, charred hands and hooves, the man’ari lashed against them without remorse. Irenora showed no mercy of her own for these eredar, for they were her people no longer. Despite the dire circumstances, Irenora and the survivors persevered, pushing their way through the collapsing streets of Mac’Aree. For every demon that fell, the lives of three civilians were claimed as payment. Although their numbers continued to dwindle, their wills remained unwavering, as they found themselves resolute on reaching the Seat of the Triumvirate. Following a debilitating series of minutes, after many more had fallen to death, at last, their destination was set in sight, south-east of the Seat, within an arena, where a shining, resplendent light could be seen radiating through the archways of metal and crystal that surrounded its perimeter. From hundreds of metres away, thousands upon thousands of eredar were within Irenora's sight, frantically fleeing through the archways into the safety of the luminous light, where no demon could pass, lest they were dissolved to ash by a device known as the Argunite Matrix, which shielded the arena. As the survivors drew closer to the source of the light, an abnormal sensation of courage and resolve washed over them, renewing their vigour and intensifying the more that they approached. Mere moments ago, they were trudging with fatigue – now, they were speeding into a running pace. Cries of pain, fear and hatred sounded in all directions as Danarshi raised his shield in front of him, forging a path through the amassing assemblage of demons and eredar for his family and the survivors who remained at his rear. Danarshi and Irenora were the first to step into the arena through one of its archways, and as they did, a single scream amidst hundreds had sent a chill of horror down the spines of the father and daughter; it was the voice of Shi’var. They could do nothing more than stand in shock as she was impaled by the pole arm of a doomguard, mere inches away from the archway. The helpless woman was then hauled into the surroundings crowds, never to be seen again. The panic-stricken shouts of Danarshi, Irenora and Aelleena resounded across the area, calling for their loved one, though there was no response. Upon this moment, something had shifted within the Arcanist, as she witnessed the first true tragedy of her life; she was no longer the innocent person that she had always been. Though the desire to mourn Shi’var was overwhelming for the three, there was no opportunity for such – they had to flee Argus, lest they would all perish. 'Fleeing Fate' Those who passed through the archways had found themselves within the presence of L’ura, a naaru. Levitating several feet above the centre of the arena, L’ura danced and weaved about in a supple manner, its crystalline appendages revolving as holy magic flashed from its form. With the Light at its disposal and the assistance of the Argunite Matrix, L’ura fended off the hordes of stampeding demons to the utmost of its ability, allowing many of the fleeing eredar to pass unharmed; many others, however, such as Shi’var, were not so fortunate. Though powerful, L’ura was not impervious. Soon, its might was matched, when Kil’jaeden himself appeared upon the field, accompanied by an elite force of fellow man’ari, including Khazaduum, a monstrous man'ari who dwarfed his kin in size and ferocity. Khazaduum pierced through the defences of the arena and destroyed the Argunite Matrix, rendering the survivors vulnerable. Irenora was no less helpless of the situation, able only to spectate with hope as Prophet Velen stepped fourth with the Ata’mal crystal in hand and summoned the aid of another naaru, K’ure. In mere moments, a grandiose dimensional ship, the Genedar, appeared within the skies above and whisked the survivors away to safety. A heavy hum sounded throughout the Genedar as three naaru, K’ure, D'ore and K'ara, powered and piloted the dimensional ship from within it. The metallic floor shuddered underneath the hooves of Irenora as she stood at the rear of her father, who was motionlessly and silently watching through a glass aperture as L’ura sacrificed itself against Kil’jaeden and the demonic forces upon the location that would be renamed the Triumvirate's End. Steadily, the Genedar ascended through the atmosphere of Argus, revealing a world that was shrouded in clouds of smoke, ash and fel lightning. Danarshi did not shatter his focus until his homeworld appeared as nothing more than a faraway speck within the vastness of space, and Irenora could only watch on in pity. Of the approximate three hundred Amanalar citizens who had fled Amanare, only thirty-five had survived; most of them, however, would, too, perish, throughout the many millennia to come. As one of the few remaining survivors of Amanalar, Irenora felt as though she owed it to herself, and her homeland, to fulfill a higher role amidst her people. Throughout the years to come, she would aim to rise as a prestigious magus, who would devote herself to halting the Burning Legion in their pursuit on finishing all who had slipped from their grasp upon Argus. 'The Genedar' The Exiled Ones Shortly following their exodus from Argus, the uncorrupted eredar renounced their own race in spite of the man’ari, renaming themselves draenei, or “exiled ones” in the Eredun language. The draenei set out on an unknowingly long journey throughout the Twisting Nether that would last for the course of nearly twenty-five thousand years, on a quest to locate a world that they could call home. Kil’jaeden, hellbent on revenge against the traitorous draenei, sent his most trusted accomplice, Talgath, in pursuit of them. Talgath would torment them for countless years, rendering it as nigh impossible for them to safely settle upon a world. No matter where they ran, Talgath would find them, and the Burning Legion would follow, leaving a path of destruction in their wake, decimating all worlds that the draenei dared to touch. The Holy Light The naaru hastily arose as the most respected symbol to the draenei people, standing out as godlike beings who symbolized positive virtues such as hope, righteousness and nobility. The naaru granted the draenei a gift that had never fully graced them upon Argus: the Holy Light. The naaru served the draenei as mentors and protectors, instructing the amenable in the ways of the Light, whilst defending the race from the Burning Legion. Many of the draenei who had lived aboard the Genedar had slowly started succumbing to the Light as their primary choice of practice. With the naaru D’ore as her mentor, Aelleena swore herself to his service and was the first of her family to embrace the Light, arising as an anchorite during the initial years of their exodus from Argus. Danarshi, however, who was suspicious of unfamiliar magics after the fall of Argus, was more reluctant than his wife, and remained as a harbinger. Shortly following Aelleena's admission as an anchorite, the brother of Irenora, Kai'soran, was born. Unlike his sister, Kai'soran was forcefully influenced by his parents at the age of five hundred, with Danarshi enthusing him about the violent though honourable ways of the harbinger, while Aelleena instead encouraged him to arise as a warm, peaceful and generous anchorite. Ultimately, in an effort to equally please them, Kai'soran took the mantle of one of the first vindicators of the draenei people. Over four thousand years into the future, Danarshi collapsed under the sway of Aelleena and Kai'soran, laying down his melee weapons and plate armour in exchange for a staff and robe and following in the steps of his wife as a holy anchorite, swearing himself to the service of D'ore. Although her family had devoted themselves to the Light, Irenora remained faithful to her original calling. While her family formed an understanding of the Light, Irenora worked to perfect her proficiency in the arcane. Additionally, in memory of her lost uncle, Mordaros, she delved further into the art of warping arcane into the elements of fire and frost, increasing her competency in it. An Insightful Journey For countless millennia, the draenei wandered the Twisting Nether in search of another world that they could call home. Throughout this period, Irenora witnessed hundreds of unique locations and phenomenon that she never would have dreamed to have seen on Argus. She saw worlds that were teeming with life and wonder, whilst others were scarcely habitable. Regardless of what was found upon all of the planets the draenei had discovered, none of them were spared from the Burning Crusade. For thousands of years, the Burning Legion pursued them, annihilating all worlds that the draenei touched. Many aboard the Genedar found themselves weary from their their endless escape, though most had forged a powerful will as a result of it. Irenora was no exception, the Arcanist having proven herself as a resilient and capable individual after millennia of development. She wore a more weathered though adorned appearance, often dressed in complex robes and garments, as well as an intricate crystal headband. Roughly ten thousand years following the exodus of the draenei from Argus, Irenora had proven herself as a powerful magus, her adaptability no less impressive than the day she was admitted into the Xzaarven Order of the Arcane. Her people deemed her a grand arcanist, in acknowledgement of her accomplishments. Many, including her family, were amazed that she had obtained such a title in such a short period of time; her mother did not achieve the status of grand anchorite until five thousand years later, and her father would take twice that time. Twenty-three thousand years following the departure from Argus, the sister of Irenora, Leanarhi, was born. The young draenei served as a symbol of the resilience of her people, who had survived the Burning Legion for years immeasurable. Unlike Kai'soran, however, Leanarhi was far from the first of draenei children. Already, the majority of her race were seasoned individuals, and her family was no different. Though there was much that she could learn from them, there was also much that she had to prove. Learning from their mistakes from their upbringing of Kai'soran, Danarshi and Aelleena did not attempt to force a particular path upon Leanarhi, allowing her the freedom to determine her own fate. Irenora was no different in her attitude, supporting her sister as any sensible sibling would have, though influencing her in no particular way. Leanarhi grew to be a secluded individual of few words or companions, though like her sister, she was resilient. Unlike her relatives, however, she did not find her interests within the Light or arcane. Her purpose would remain hidden for many years, and she would wait patiently for the day that it was revealed. Over twenty-four thousand years following their exodus from Argus, panic spread throughout the Genedar, when the naaru K’ara was gravely injured during the dimensional ship's approach of yet another uncharted planet. Her final act was a warning for the draenei to eject her from the vessel, before she fell into a state of Void corruption that is common among dying naaru. She lashed out at K'ure and D'ore, who were shielded by Prophet Velen himself. The Prophet ejected her from the ship, as she requested, but it was too late; K'ure and D'ore were weakened by the assault, unable to properly land the Genedar. The dimensional ship was doomed to crash into the unknown planet. 'Draenor' 'Exiles' Refuge' The Genedar was soon to pierce the blue skies of the world that it approached. Though it plummeted into the planet's soil, the dimensional ship, and most of the draenei inside, survived. Unfortunately, among the casualties of the crash was D'ore, which devastated Danarshi, Aelleena and hundreds of other draenei. Not all was lost, however, as the planet was found not only to be unscathed by the Burning Legion, but habitable as well. As the draenei drifted from the vessel, their eyes were met by rolling fields of lush, green grass, rich soil and beams of warming sunlight; they had arrived within the land known as Nagrand. Despite the crash, the worries of the draenei were swept away by such a stunning sight. Draenor, meaning "Exiles' Refuge" in Draenei, was the name that the draenei bestowed upon this new world. From this moment fourth, they would consider it home. Had they, at last, found their eagerly sought escape from the Burning Legion? Irenora was optimistic, yet cautious. After all that she had witnessed, she could not conclude that their struggles were over. Until the Burning Legion would find them again, however, she was satisfied with the idea of peace upon Draenor; after the crash of the Genedar, she had little other option - no draenei did. Fortunately, to Danarshi, Aelleena and Irenora, Nagrand was, in various aspects, reminiscent of Amanalar; this on its own was a comforting thought for them. While Kai'soran decisively remained within Nagrand to aid with the formation of draenei settlements there, Danarshi, Aelleena, Irenora and Leanarhi accompanied the first of the groups to venture past its perimeter, anxious to discover what was awaiting them beyond the bordering mountain ranges. In consequence of this, their time within Nagrand was only brief. During their departure, they bestowed a touching farewell upon Kai'soran. Due to the impervious bond that the family had formed with one another during their long journey throughout the Twisting Nether, their separation was difficult upon them. Without further delay, Danarshi, Aelleena, Irenora and Leanarhi set off with their fellow draenei into the distant, unknown lands of Draenor, on a journey that would last for several weeks. The journey was one to be remembered, as they passed through lands of luscious jungles, barren deserts, freezing blizzards, towering spires, everlasting night and gleaming forests of golden flora, filled with the comforting sounds of countless forms of life. The land of gleaming forests became known as Talador to the draenei. Located within the centre of the continent, Talador was considered as the heart of Draenor, both literally and, eventually in draenei society, figuratively. 'The City of Light' Once the draenei had completed their expeditions and successfully mapped the continent, Danarshi, Aelleena, Irenora, Kai'soran and Leanarhi were all left with a difficult choice: the location where they would deem home. While Danarshi and Aelleena joined the Auchenai and aided in the assembly of Auchindoun within Talador, and Leanarhi returned to Nagrand to help Kai'soran and the draenei in their construction of settlements, Irenora assisted in the creation of Shattrath City. Located upon the ruins of an ancient ogre city known as Goria, Shattrath City, meaning "City of Light" in Draenei, would serve as the cultural pillar of the draenei upon Draenor. She utilized her magical prowess to assist in the construction of its initial districts, most notably the Shattrath Residential District and Shattrath Overlook. As a venerated grand arcanist, and a founder of Shattrath, Irenora possessed limited political power within the city, as well as permanent residence upon the Shattrath Overlook. With plentiful purpose there, she would linger within its walls for over a century, maintaining a steady watch over its progress and seeing to the safety of its populace. 'The Horde' One hundred and eighty-eight years following the arrival of the draenei upon Draenor, many of them had grown complacent, failing to foresee the return of the Burning Legion. Talgath had, at last, found his prey, and his master, Kil'jaeden, wished only one fate upon them: their demise. Rather than raining demons upon them, however, he worked from the shadows, manipulating the orcs to rebel against them. Granting the powers of a warlock upon the crippled orc Gul'dan, Kil'jaeden used him as the primary pawn in his schemes. Over years, lies and deceit was spread throughout the orcish clans, until they were convinced that the draenei were plotting against them, uniting under the combined banner of the Horde in preparation of facing their adversary. After eight years of plotting and conspiring, the Horde marched upon the draenei in full force, initiating their war at Karabor within Shadowmoon Valley. Though the draenei had managed to defend Karabor for several minutes, despite the orcs outnumbering them, the tides were turned when the Horde unleashed the Dark Star upon them, which was, in fact, the naaru K'ara in her Void state. With K'ara at their disposal, the Horde utilised her shadow magics to decimate Karabor and its forces, sending the surviving draenei into full retreat. The fleeing draenei sailed to Shattrath City by sea, where they were openly allowed refuge. Irenora was appalled as she heard their stories, though it was one detail in particular which caused concern within her: the Hand of Gul'dan, a fel volcano that was risen by Gul'dan himself within the centre of Shadowmoon Valley. It was upon learning this that she and her kin realised that the Burning Legion had found them on Draenor. Now on full alert, the draenei fortified their defences at Shattrath, anxiously awaiting the day when the Horde would set their sights upon the city. 'False Hope' Within the following weeks, Irenora was unexpectedly approached by her father, Danarshi, atop the Shattrath Overlook. After having not seen one another for several years, their reunion was a heartwarming one. Although this was a joyous occasion for them, tensions had quickly risen, as Danarshi shared his concerns over the Horde with his daughter, as well as informing her of his recent falling-out with Aelleena, which resulted in her refusing to leave Auchindoun with him. Irenora could feel the pain and anxiety within her father's voice as he spoke, and she sensed that it was deeper than it appeared on the surface, leading her to suspect that Auchindoun had wrought a hefty toll upon his sanity. After renouncing his status as a grand anchorite for the opportunity to arise as a soulpriest within the Auchenai, which led to him spending decades among the restless spirits of deceased draenei, it was clear to her that Danarshi was not the same person who she recalled from over a century ago. Irenora, who was well aware of the chaos inflicted upon the draenei within Shadowmoon Valley, found herself sympathizing with the concerns of Danarshi. Although a weight was placed upon her heart due to concerns over her mother's safety within Auchindoun, she did not criticize her father for Aelleena's stubbornness, as she recognized that he had attempted to sway her. With Danarshi unwilling to return to Auchindoun in fear that it was vulnerable to the Horde, Irenora willingly allowed her father refuge within her home atop the Shattrath Overlook. Soon afterwards, the strategy of Prophet Velen spread throughout the city, which proposed that those who were capable of combat would remain within Shattrath in its defence, whilst many of its civilians would flee to the hidden sanctuary of Telredor within the Zangar Sea. Unfortunately for Irenora and Danarshi, they were far from defenseless. They, among thousands, including the more unfortunate civilians, anxiously awaited the day when Shattrath would be invaded, whilst Velen and his refugees departed for Telredor. Alas, the moment soon arrived when the Horde appeared outside the city in staggering numbers, surrounding its walls and sending its populace into a panic as they prepared for the approaching assault. 'The Fall' The defenders of Shattrath dashed in every conceivable direction in desperation, doing all that they could to secure a formidable defence against the overwhelming force that they faced; they were astronomically outnumbered. During the dawn of the attack, Irenora located Danarshi upon a platform at the rear of a building atop the Shattrath Overlook, where he spectated the amassing armies. She urged him to find safety within the Shattrath City dome, though he refused, insisting that he aid the draenei against the Horde. Despite the persistence of Irenora in convincing her father reconsider his course of action, she could not have possibly hoped to snap sense into him, as she found him overwhelmed by anger over the situation. In defeat, Irenora permitted her father to accompany her in the defence of the city. Although his skills as a harbinger had grown rusty within the halls of Auchindoun, Danarshi brought with him a weapon that he could use in a head-on charge against the orcish hordes; his recklessness concerned Irenora, and it revealed a side of him that she had never witnessed before. Irenora and Danarshi congregated with the draenei defenders who were present upon the eastern bridge of the Shattrath City Centre. Incidentally, the eastern and northern bridges were the most crucial in the defence of the inner sections of the city, and if the orcs were successful in crossing either one of them, then the Sha'tari Skymesa, Shattrath Residential District and Shattrath Overlook would have soon fallen. As the Horde began their siege, the sky lit up with arcane projectiles of arkonite defence crystals meeting with balls of exploding fire. Despite their efforts, the crystals could not compete with the magnitude of the fireballs, as dozens bombarded the city, spreading wildfires and shrouding the skies in smoke. Moments later, crude bombs rained down from above, releasing clouds of red mist as they collided with the city, suffocating all draenei who were caught within their radius and nullifying their connection to the Light. Although the red mist had miraculously failed to reach the bridge where Irenora was stationed, the clash against orcs and draenei there was no less ferocious, as the sounds of warfare filled the air, from weapons meeting with shields, armour and flesh, to the screams of agony which followed, spilling from the combined lips of the two warring races. As the orcs closed in, Irenora could see their demonic taint clearly; their skin ran green from their recent corruption from drinking the blood of Mannoroth, and their eyes glowed a furious red. Wary of the frenzied orcs, she avoided the front lines - as did Danarshi, despite his rage. As Irenora struck the orcs with arcane magic, Danarshi cooperatively smote them with the Holy Light. Irenora was undoubtedly among the most powerful of the combatants present upon the bridge, possessing the ability to literally detonate her victims into a pile of gore, if she so desired. Without rest, they did not relent against the charging orcs for several minutes, yet, no matter how many of their corpses would pile up on top of one another, their numbers would simply refuse to wane. Slowly, the draenei force was withering away, as their healers' abilities started to wane. Soon, Irenora had no choice but to yell for the assistance of her father, who arrogantly chose to fight the orcs over assisting the wounded draenei. Though he struggled to compose himself within the midst of the chaos, Danarshi could see that his daughter was right; their healers needed his aid. Ignoring his dwindling mana reserves, he mustered all of his strength and shone the Light down upon his fellow defenders who fought on, focussing primarily on those who were grievously injured. With the help of Danarshi, the bridge was held successfully for an additional two minutes, until he, and his accompanying healers, were physically unable to continue; this was the moment that their hope was lost. Without the Light to heal and fortify the defenders, they were now falling at an alarming rate. Danarshi dropped to his knees in result of his depleted vitality, and his weapon slipped from his hand. Irenora ceased her spellcasting at the sight of her weary father. For seconds, she watched the stampeding orcs, until she found herself accepting their defeat. With watering eyes, she conjured an unstable, one-way, one-use portal mere inches in front of herself; without the sufficient time or mana to spare, she could not increase its potential past this. She spoke in a voice of sorrow and despair as she wrapped her hand around the arm of Danarshi, lifting him up on to his hooves. At first, the man was confused of her intentions, until he saw the portal, and immediately perceived her plans. He pulled against her in desperation, though found himself too weak to overpower her. With tears running down her cheeks, Irenora stared into the eyes of her father. Although he implored that she reconsider her decision, she wrapped her arms around him in the form of a hug, issuing him with a heartfelt farewell before forcing him through the portal, which immediately closed after he stumbled through it. For the following minute, Irenora did not dare relent to the orcish hordes. Up until the very moment when she was among the last of the draenei who were left standing upon the bridge, she yelled out with unrelenting fury, vanquishing dozens of orcs with all of the magic that she could muster and sending their corpses flying into the water below. It was a massacre, her slaughter unyielding, until the arcane energy that had once coursed from her fingers, lessened to little more than mere sparks; her mana had depleted. Irenora dropped to her knees with a thud, as Danarshi had, and accepted her fate. Seconds later, her life was swiftly taken from her. Already, the Anchorage and Sha'tari Market District had fallen. Without access to the docks, few of the remaining draenei survivors had any means of escaping the collapsing city. Those of the defence who remained standing had sacrificed themselves for the sole purpose of allowing their citizens more time to flee, fortifying the Shattrath Residential District with their own lives, a strategy that was brutally inefficient, though effective. The Shattrath Overlook and the Sha'tari Skymesa, despite their advanced defences, still could not stand against the thousands of marauding orcs that endlessly poured on to the mesas and proceeded to murder each and every draenei that they could find. In the end, despite how valiantly the lasting defenders fought, all districts, including the Shattrath City dome, fell. Shattrath City was lost.